1019Joanne

Happy Anniversary! Thank you for your inspiration and encouraging words. This is really a journey we are all on, and I am so proud of all your have accomplished over the past year. Best wishes!

it's a trip, isn't it! LOL....one day something goes down well, and then next day you can't tolerate one bite! My best advise is to chew well, put your fork down between bites, and only put more food in your mouth when that last bite has been swallowed.... I made chili the other night, and made extra so that I could pack lunches for the week....the chili was fine on Monday, Tuesday it was choking after two bites, and tonight, it was ok. Best of luck...take is slow....and keep sharing!

There is no pity-party here! I seem to be in a holding pattern with my weight loss, but I know why....IT'S ALL ABOUT ME! The scale is not moving...and why might that be? Well, lets talk about it.....my hours have changed this month at work, making it harder to scheduled in gym time ( I am down from 4-5 times a week to 1-2), I am eating later at night (since I am home now at 8 instead of 6pm) and some of my food choices really are not the best for me. So, NO pity party for the scale not moving, no blame on my band, no blame on my doctor (who is wonderful by the way) - the responsibility for all of this falls directly on MY shoulders. I have one more week on this horrible schedule - and then my life will be back to normal, as will my gym schedule. I am committing to returning to the gym 4-5 times a week, and I am also promising myself that I will eat at a regular time, and eat the foods that are best for my body. I had this surgery for me...and I have to lose weight for me. No one else is going to be impacted by my good and bad choices, and I need to get back in control of my diet. Gastric banding is not a magic wand....it's a life changing journey that only works if you work with it, and for the last few weeks, I have not been a good bandster. I am getting back on the "band"wagon, and re-committing myself to this way of life.

you are certainly on the right path! Congratulations on your surgery, and taking the steps to regain control of your life! You are in what we read about on here all the time - Bandster Hell - which is when you have had the surgery, have little to no restriction, and little weight loss. Hang in there - since this is the time your body should be healing, and not worrying about what the scale says! Best wishes!

keeping track of your food is a great idea. I just started using myfitnesspal.com to keep track of every single thing I eat, and it has really refocused my diet plan. I would also talk to your doctor when you see him/her and be honest! The physician is our partner in this journey, and maybe he/she can help you get back on track, and losing again. I wish you the best! Keep us posted!

I,too, wish I had not waited years to get banded. I am so happy with the positive change in my life since my surgery - I am healthier, I am happier, I have more energy, and I know that my life is only going to get better with the more weight I lose! I wish you much success!

Hi there - I think you are losing focus here....you have lost 25lbs since March....so, that is about 10 lbs a month, and when have you lost 10lbs a month on any other weight loss program? This is life long commitment - I am sure it look more than 2 1/2 months to put your weight on, and it is going to take some time to get the weight off as well. Be proud of your weight loss! 25 lbs is AMAZING! Congratulations. Most people do no do so well in the first months, because of the low amount of fluids in the band, and really start to see the pounds falling off after a few fills. Hang in there - give this time to work, and give yourself time to heal, and get used to this new way of life. You are doing really well!

Congratulations on a new and heathier you!

Chatty, my sincere sympathies over the loss of your mom. I cannot even imagine how hard this is for you. I am so proud of you for taking control of your weight, and for knowing that change beings with one person. You are that one person for your family, and I wish you nothing but success, health, and happiness. I know your mom is with you.

remember that the weight did not go on in a short period of time, and it will take time for it to come off! I gave up getting on the scale for a month - I was discouraged every time I saw the 2 pounds going off and coming right back on, and decided that I would only get on the scale when I got to my doctors office. Imagine my surprise when his scale showed me down 6 lbs from my last visit. Stressing out about what the scale says actually added to my overall stress, and stopped me from losing...once I took the scale away, I continued to eat what I needed to, continued to exercise, and the weight came off. You are right to say that you know you are losing by the fit of your clothing - so true. I wish you continued success on this weight loss journey - I am seven months banded and I feel so much better than I did a year ago....I am healthier, happier, thinner, and not so self-conscious. Hang in there!

Keep up the enthusiasm! You have re-energized me with your words! I am just over 7 months from surgery, and my life feels brand new! A new me, and it was a gift I can only give myself. So proud of you - and keep us posted on how you do! Best Wishes!

I am 5'8" and I am shooting for 155lbs. I might re-evaluate one I get under 170, but I still have about 50lbs until I get there! Best wishes everyone!

I returned to work two weeks to the day after surgery, and it was fine. I think you just have to be mindful of your own limitiations, and if you are feeling tired, you might need to take a short health break (get a glass of water, small snack, etc) Each one of us is different, but you are the one who knows your body best....best wishes, and take good care of yourself!

YES!!! and isn't it the strangest feeling? I am almost 7 months out, and I have pretty decent restriction, but when I forget what I am eating, or forgot how I need to eat now, I can feel the pain....and then the long slow process of that food slowly moving through my band. I guess this is just a not-so-subtle reminder to take smaller bites, watch what you eat, and take your time when eating! Best Wishes to all!

Congratulations! Onederland! I am so very proud of you! Congratulations and continued success!

Congratulations on your weight loss! any weight that comes off should be a celebration, and it really is! think back a year, and what you were getting ready to wear over the summer. I know I was not happy with the size clothes I was in, or how I looked in any of those clothes. Here I am, six and a half months after surgery, and my wardrobe is very different, and I am actually starting to like what I see in the mirror. You are doing great! Keep it up! I am so proud of you!

Life is all about change - and this change is something that you need to grow from and learn from. if this person was the ONLY person you told about surgery, maybe you need to let someone else in to the "inner circle" whether it is a family member or very close friend. I am not saying that you need to tell everyone, however, if you take a friend into your confidences, it might help you through several things (the break up and the surgery). My surgery was a same day proceedure, and I was very happy to have someone at home to help me out during that first 24 hours after surgery. I have a friend, tho, who just wanted to be left alone, and after having another friend bring her home, she opted to spend the first night alone, and she is doing well. This break up is still very new - be good to yourself over these next couple of days, and dont make any rash decisions. The band is not something that will leave you - it is a tool to remind you how to life your life healthier and better. Just like any relationship, it takes work, it does have a honeymoon period (where you have to learn to live with it) but in the long run, it is so worth it. best wishes.

Happy Anniversary to you and your band! reading your story is truly an inspiration, and you are so right when you say that weight maintenence is a certainty...good for you! Keep up the great work, I wish you and your band many more years of success!

Come on, I know you do it......I think we all do.... You walk into a room (any room) and you scan, non-chalantly of course, to see if you really are the biggest person in the room. Or you see a photo of yourself, and you scrutinize everyone in the photo to see how you "measure" up..... well, have you done this since you had your surgery? Are you still hiding behind objects thinking that you look smaller, or are you really smaller? Are you no longer the biggest person in the picture? I go to Florida every year with with the same group of people - and yes, I have always been the biggest of the bunch, that is, until this year. 6 months after surgery, I am no longer the big girl, I am more in the middle of the pack....and what a strange feeling! I still find myself migrating to the back of group photos, or positioning myself behind objects, however, there were some out in the open photos, and I could really see the difference. It is strange tho....I still walk into rooms and scan....

my thoughts are with you and your family

Come on, I know you do it......I think we all do.... You walk into a room (any room) and you scan, non-chalantly of course, to see if you really are the biggest person in the room. Or you see a photo of yourself, and you scrutinize everyone in the photo to see how you "measure" up..... well, have you done this since you had your surgery? Are you still hiding behind objects thinking that you look smaller, or are you really smaller? Are you no longer the biggest person in the picture? I go to Florida every year with with the same group of people - and yes, I have always been the biggest of the bunch, that is, until this year. 6 months after surgery, I am no longer the big girl, I am more in the middle of the pack....and what a strange feeling! I still find myself migrating to the back of group photos, or positioning myself behind objects, however, there were some out in the open photos, and I could really see the difference. It is strange tho....I still walk into rooms and scan....

Congratulations! Isn't it wonderful to buy clothes with a 1 in front of the number instead of a 2!!!! best wishes on the job interview!