kareyquilts

Spydr: I hope you're all right and won't need to be drained too long. Medical procedures are a drag, but it will be worth it in the long run. Looking forward to some more pictures when you get healed up a little more. Wishing you the best!

MinIn: Thanks for doing the challenge again. If it gets to be too much for you, especially after your surgery let me know and I'll give it a go. I'm not real great at the computer, but I could try if you need to be spelled off. I hope more are going to answer the challenge!

Avilla: You stand up for yourself about getting fill. Don't let the doc push you around. You're suppose to get a fill because you need one. If you're hungry and not filling restricition than you should get a fill. You don't get a fill as a reward for losing weight. That is just backward. I wish you luck!

OH bother, sorry for the double entry! I just wanted to report my 1 pound lost for the end of the St. Patty day challenge.

I'm in for the July challenge! I hope I can do better than the St. Patty's challenge. I had a small fill today (.2 cc). I hope this gets me to that sweet spot. My starting weight for the July 4th challenge is 189. I would love to be at 160 by July 4th! I'm going to work really hard to get there. Who's keeping track? MimIn: I wish the best with your surgery. You'll be in my prayers. Let us know all about it. Very exciting! Forgot t

I'm in for the July challenge! I hope I can do better than the St. Patty's challenge. I had a small fill today (.2 cc). I hope this gets me to that sweet spot. My starting weight for the July 4th challenge is 189. I would love to be at 160 by July 4th! I'm going to work really hard to get there. Who's keeping track? MimIn: I wish the best with your surgery. You'll be in my prayers. Let us know all about it. Very exciting!

This is a great thread. I wish all those beginning their lapband journey good luck! It's a great adventure. The thing I love about the band is that the weight should be permanently gone. We are aiming for good habits and health. The band, when working properly (which can take a while for adjustments) is a great tool. It's not as hard to eat smaller portion when you're not starving. Now, the head hunger and the cravings are something else. They are part of the journey and the learning curve that occurs. But we are all intelligent woman with lots of life experiences. We can learn and grow with the best of them! I hope we can keep this thread going because I do think that older women lose a little slower and have a little different experience with the band and with exercise. We might be older, but we're just a wonderful and wise and anyone else!

Mimin: Somehow I missed what kind of surgery you're having. You will no longer be a pear? Are you getting a TT? If you are, I am so jealous! Let me know how you're doing (and what). I wish you the best. For some reason, I'm not getting all the emails from this thread. I just got a new computer. I don't know if that could affect it. I still get the same email. Anyway, I lost 1 pound this week. Getting frustrated but trying to stay patient. Going to talk to the doctor about another fill. We'll see.

Thanks for sharing. I wish you the best. Please post more pictures as you heal and the swelling goes down. Do you know yet if your down any sizes? On the breast lift, did they add anything or just pull up? I'm really interested in the sensation part. I want to have a breast lift, but I don't want to lose sensation. (There are only a few enjoyments left in life, ya know?!).

Debi: Good luck with all your tests! I had to have lots of tests too. I am so happy with my decision to have the lapband. It is a process and there are challenges along the way, but I would do it all over again. I am feeling better than I have in years and I expect that to continue. I wish you the best.

Avilla you're doing great don't give up! Tann: You look fantastic! Thanks for sharing your pictures. I love seeing before, during and afters! I need to take some pictures of myself. I'm working hard on my exercise. I'm been doing water aerobics, treadmill, and weights. This week, I've made 6 out of the 7 days. The scale finally went down 1 whole pound. I guess that's better than nothing. Getting frustrated is easy to do!

I'm thinking about an all protien diet for a week, but I'm having a hard time making myself do it. I added an afternoon workout and will continue with 2 work outs a day and see if that helps. I'm also considering getting a Body Bugg. Someone on a different thread told me about them and said that she attributes her 128 pound weight loss to the band and the Body Bugg. The body bugg is a band that sits on your upper arm and measures your caloric output (what you burn from breathing, resting, movement, exercise, etc). Then you interface it with the computer and put your food intake in. It should accurately measure your entire metabolism and hence give you a tool for knowing what's going on with your body. She said that she got it at 6 months out and that's when she really started losing weight. It was highly motivating. I think it would be for me, too. But, you can't wear it in the water and I really like water aerobics! The company said that you can input an amount of calories burned for the water aerobics class. The Bugg costs $400. Maybe I should change to a different kind of exerise and go for it. Has anyone else heard of this and do you think it would be helpful? I'm starting to feel that I am on shaking ground. I'm tired of trying so hard and not seeing results!

Lisa: You look awesome! What a difference a year makes (and lots of hard work)! Congratulations! Love your glasses, too. You look years younger and very hip! How are you feeling?

Just checking in for the week. I exercised 6 out of 7 days while on vacation. Good right?! I watched what I ate, but no weight loss! I guess it's better than gaining, but I'm getting frustrated. I passed up a lot of great food. I wish I could see more success. I'm beginning to worry that I've lost the weight I'm going to lose and no more will come off. Does anyone else think like this? I'm wondering if I need to go on some kind of platueau busting diet. I'm just not sure what to do. Appreciate suggestions.

Reporting in for the week. I exercised 5 out of 7 days last week, while on vacation. I tried to watch my food intake, but apparently not good enough. I didn't lose anything! I guess it's better than a gain. Congratulations Morning Funeral! I'll bet you'll be feeling less nauseated soon.

Tami: Thanks for the website. I didn't even know it existed. I will check it out more when I get home. You're awesome. Thanks for the insights.

Tami: Congratulations! I still think that you should share more of what you're doing. I liked it when you posted what you were eating. You're an inspiration!

Turner: So glad that the surgery with your DH went well. I hope the biopsy comes back and confirms that everything is okay. Life can be sobering at times, can't it?! Here's to good times in the future.

Lisa and Mimin: I've been thinking the same things! It's wonderful that we are all experiencing similar things at around the same time. I love this forum. I'm away at a convention with my DH and am seeing people I haven't seen for a year. I've been shopping with some of the ladies and they keep handing me clothes to try on. They're smaller sizes and I keep thinking they won't fit. I actually bought 2 size 12's. One of the blouses was very fitted and I'm on the verge of taking it back, because I don't feel comfortable in anything that shows my figure. It's so weird. Here Iam trying so hard to get a figure and then I feel uncomfortable showing it off. I guess part of it is that I still don't think I look very good, even though I do look alot better. My friends have been telling me to stop thinking of myself as a fat person, becuase I'm not. It's a strange experience. I guess time will make us all more comfortable with ourselves. I've been exercising everyday while on this trip, but my eating not so good. I think when I get home, I'm going to do a high protien diet for a while and try and break this platueau. Good luck everyone.

Morning Funeral: Have you talked to your doctor about the GB? I can imagine your frustration. I feel your pain. I think the band is wonderful and could still work for you, but if your having difficulty eating real food it doesn't sound like it's working very well for you. Keep posting here and let us give you some support. You're not your weight and you're a worthwhile person no matter what. Don't give up. You're worth the fight! I wish you the best!

Puddin: I love it when you get introspective. Moderation is probably the key to a happy life and something that all of us need to learn. I don't think there is a secret to it. If there is, I hope someone will share it with us. I'm totally obsessed with losing weight right now and quickly becoming obsessed with exercise. I guess that these are good obsessions.I've been thinking lately that it would be good if I could relax a little more about food. Not relax in the sense that I would start eating a lot of sugar or carbs, but just relax when I feel hungry and know that the hunger will go away, or just relax when I am eating and enjoy the experience instead of worrying that every bite but be one to many. Does that make sense? If we could have more moderate personalities than moderation would probably be easier in every way. I am trying to remember to breath and slow down. When I'm stressed, I'm working on relaxing my whole body and mind. Taking a moment to focus and put things in perspectivie. Maybe this will help with relaxation. Your self awareness of your behaviors should certainly help, also. We have to find a way to give ourselves a break and be kind to ourselves, allowing or giving ourselves permission to make mistakes now and then. Life is not a win or lose propisition, but a learning experience. I hope this makes sense. I'm just thinking and reacting to your comments. You're a great gal and good things (and probably some bad things) are coming your way. It's earth life or as they say, "We are spiritual beings having an earthly experience."

Way to go, Ethansgrandma!

I think I will try a spinning class when I get back from my trip. I'm going to Sun Valley, Idaho (ski resort) with my DH for a veterinary orthopedic conference. I'll be gone a week. Plan on exercising everyday and relaxing a lot! Can't tell any difference with my fill yet. Just started back on real food today. This dieting is routine and yet everyday is a daily decision to stay on the program and try and be positive. I'm trying, but sometimes my trier gets tired.

You guys have me ALMOST talked into a protien diet to get off my platueau. I will check out the website. I'm going to Sun Valley for the week with my DH, so I will try and exercise every day and relax and then I will think about this protien thing. Good luck everyone!

Thanks for information. You are really doing well. Let me know how you like the spa treatments. Best wishes!