Arcael

Hey guys, just checking in. 13 pounds from goal. Here is a picture of my girlfriend and I. I hope everyone is doing well [edit] Also, I know you guys always wanted to see a picture of me smiling. Here you go.

mine used to be on the right, but it migrated to the middle as i got smaller.

I had this problem up until I met my current girlfriend, she gave me that positive reinforcement. It's really hard sometimes because people don't usually like to say "You could still lose a few pounds" or anything like that so it is harder to gauge how people view you. It's a lot easier to accept the new you if you like yourself. Non-scale victories are a pretty good indicator as well.

My recent NSV was moving into a size 32, now I'm almost a size 30

Hey guys, it's been a long time since I've checked in so I thought I would update you all. Today I hit 199, woo :biggrin: Only 14 pounds away from goal. To Celebrate, here are some pictures. Montage from August Initially: Height: 5'11 Weight: ~340 Pant Size: 46 Date: Pre-July 2006 Middle Weight: ~260 Date: Probably March/April 2007 Pant Size: ??? Current: Weight: ~200 Pant Size: 32 Date: January 2nd, 2008

Hah, I did that waaaay back in December. I know some people that saw it on TV, but I still have yet to see it :I Thanks everyone

Hey everybody, just checking in. My birthday is tomorrow, I'll be 23 Montage, start to current. I hope everyone is doing well

Sorry I haven't been on for awhile, I've been busy with work/school

Congrats all on the progress, just checking in to say hi and that I'm still alive Here is a picture from a few months ago:

Hey guys, whats up. Kinda long time poster here just checkin in on this thread. Big Jake - For me it was roughly 3 weeks, I could have gone sooner but I had to wait for the doc to give me the ok

no fills here :-/

I'm in the same boat. I think it's the fact that we aren't comfortable with ourselves as of yet. I'd say give it time, but I really have no idea.

stephanie - congrats on your 40th and you wedding anniversary Mary - sounds like you're having some fun, wish I was on vacation Sherri - I'm sure things will get better, I haven't lose much in the last couple months either I guess I could share some nsv's, so far I've gone from an XXL to a Medium. I've been taking care of myself alot more than I used to. It's alot easier to talk to people, and people (women) have generally been more interested in me. My grades have drastically improved (2.35 gpa before band to 3.75 this/last semester) and life in general is just peachy. My younger brother just turned 21 so we went out bar hopping, same with on st. pattys day. He is going to be my gym buddy this summer so I have someone to drag me on those days I don't want to go. I am REALLY looking forward to the 199 mark, and I will enjoy giving lectures on LB to people thinking about going through with the procedure over the summer. The only real problem I still have is that I still think I weigh like 300 pounds, but I'll get over it eventually (hopefully) Anyways I'll check back in later to see how everyone is doing. -chris

It sounds like you need to up your calories a little bit, I know when I was pre-op and working out with ~800 calories I was pretty wrecked the next day. Another thing that it could be is that you are working out later? I really have no idea, it helps me sleep.

You won't get bulkier unless you eat alot of calories, and I mean alot. It doesn't matter if you are a man or a woman. Here is a website on women lifting(contains tons and tons of information for beginners and advanced lifters alike and free): http://www.stumptuous.com/cms/index.php definitely go with free-weights and learn how to do all the movements; it is so much better than machines. Also, more efficent/better working muscles boost calorie burning potential. With a little cardio mixed in on off days, there is a potential to lose some major poundage

The only person that has mentioned this to me is my brother, and I'm in the current commercial for my doctor up here in the north west. I think it is easier for a person to say it is the easy way out because they themselves are afraid of the substancial change that it will bring. In the case of my brother, he just could not give up the ability to eat alot of food at once. That is his choice and if it makes it easier to cope with that decision then I am willing to bear some of the responsibility for his insecurities. As for normal sized people, it is usually just a lack of knowledge on the subject. It's as easy as telling them it helped you begin a profound change in your life, and it is only a tool for that change.

Start: Current:

I hope everyone is doing well, I'm just doing my rounds and checking up on the forums. Here are my current stats: Start weight: 334 Current weight: 219 Target weight: 185 Total loss: 115 Still to go: 34 Sex: Male Height: 5'11" Plan: ~1400 calories consisting of mostly Protein, ~15-20% carbohydrates and 20% fat (probably going to switch over to a strength training program with more calories) Age: 22 Exercise: Modified Ripptoe's Starting Strength Monday's 3x5 Squat 3x5 Military Press 1x5 Deadlift 2x5 dips Tuesday: Low-Medium Intensity Cardio; 20-30 minutes Wednesday's 3x5 Squat 3x5 Bench Press 3x5 Bentover Row Thursday: Same as Tuesday Friday's 3x5 Squat 3x5 Military Press 1x5 Deadlift 2x5 Dips If anyone has any suggestion's on my program, I'm open to critique

Hey everyone, I'm curious about your opinion on this matter. I visited my surgeon today and after all the measurements and weigh ins and stuff they asked me if I wanted to be in a commercial. I'm also going to have my pictures taken for a sucess story for their website. What do you guys think, should I do it? I don't care that everyone I know might see it because I've told everyone that I have the lap-band. Anyways, Poll should be above.

22 here, whats up

Hey all, just checking in I'm at ~220 at the moment, havent updated my ticker thingy yet. I guess my commercial has been airing in my area because people have been telling me about it, but I still haven't gotten to see it .

The beginning of the LapBand process, I've been exercising off and on ever since. It's nice to have access to a college rec. center to work out at for free.

I think that if the me from 4 years ago met the current me, he would see that there has been so many changes(not just physical). Between my last year of highschool and were I'm currently at in college, I've experience and learned more about myself and gained more knowledge in general than I had in the previous 18 years before. I dunno, I think of my past selves and how ignorant I was on certain topics. I

Yes, this is very very true. It's also a very nice perk (not that it was small before:heh:)

Yet another update for me, click for big versions. Origina(334): Now(current - ~226):