MimIN

HAHA KAREY! Oh it hurts to laugh! The pain probably isn't as bad as I've made it out to be, I am a BIG BABY! I have always wanted a boobjob and even at my highest weight I was maybe a B cup. I love losing weight but I hate it when it comes off of the wrong areas! Bjean: Suprisingly he has been awesome throughout this usually he's a lost cause when it comes to helping, haha. I guess I'm on day # 3 and doing a lot better than #2. I was in so much pain Saturday that I had to call my surgeon's on call for stronger meds. The stuff he wanted to give me could not be called in so I had my brother drive my pitiful butt down to the 'snooty' mall where the on call Dr agreed to meet me but I couldn't send my brother because it is a heavy narcotic (Dilaudid) and he could get major malpractice. I was pretty amazed that the Dr agreed to do that for me when my PCP would have told me to suck it up and come see her Monday. Maybe cosmetic surgeons are a little more compassionate?? So last night I got a decent sleep. It still hurts but I think I'm so heavily medicated that it doesn't seem near as bad as it was. Lisa definitely have someone with you for at least the first couple days. I am fiercely independent and keep trying to do stuff I shouldn't and then I ache. I don't like that I have to rely on someone to get me simple things or to open pill bottles but I'd be screwed without help. Mim

Hi all, I am a little more with it today and went to Meijer with my bf but after 10 minutes or so I had to go out to the car and lay down. I am forever pushing myself to do more than I should. Another thing I didn't realize is how much I use my upper body to do things. I have a hell of a time getting in and out of bed and up and down off the couch. If I didn't have my bf here I'd be in a world of trouble, I can't even open my pill bottles damn childproof caps! Lisa you were not kidding about retaining water! I weighed myself Friday morning and weighed in at 178 and this morning I weighed 191.5 and about fell over but must remember it's not fat - just water *sigh*

Hi all! I had my surgery today and although I am quite sore and tired everything went great! Downside from this, the implants weigh about 2lbs each so I'm looking at a 4lb gain:( I am hoping that with a liquid diet (I'm so swollen that my band is even tight) I will be able to lose the 4lbs and not freak out on the scale, haha. Mim

Hey Sandranoelle! I have added you to the list. July 4th is 15 weeks, it is a little ways away but it gives us more time as weight loss has slowed down for a lot of us.

Bjean: I wish I was getting a TT aswell but alas I promised my BF that I would wait until all the weight was off and then 6 mo to see what I can do on my own. Although I am secretly planning a lower body lift and arm lift so at that 6 mo mark I'm ready :mad: Lisalee: I am disgusted with the sagging skin, I work out hard and it still sags all over the place. It grosses me out!!

Thanks Karey! Really it's no big deal to keep track of this challenge, I spend way to much time on the computer (personal and professional) that it only takes a minute. If I'm under the weather next week I will let you know! Hopefully they give me good pain meds and I'll feel better than new:)

If there is no one else that wants to track our 4th of July challenge, I will do it. Here is the start of the list. If you want on just let me know and I will add you to it! 25lbs by July 4th 2007! WE CAN DO IT!!! TamifromAL - 185 MimIN – 180 Cassandra – 228.2 Gonnabethin – LindaN – 208 BJean – 177 Kareyquilts - 189 Lisalee - 189 Sandranoelle - 260

I am going to post the final St. Patty's day numbers, they are incomplete but I will update the post as the numbers roll in. As it stands now we have a collective loss of 160lbs!!! TAMI is our top loser with a total of 28lbs lost!! TamifromAL – 213/-5/-2/0/-5/-2/-1/-2/-3/-2/-3/-3 BJean – 181/0/0/-1/-1/0/0/-1/-1/0/-1/0 Gonnabethin – 190/0/0/-1/-2/-1.5/0/0/0/-1.5/0/? MimIN – 199/-2/-2/0/-4/-2/-5/0/0/0/-1/-3 Sandranoelle – 275/-4/+2/0/-6/-3/+4/-3/-1/0/? Kareyquilts – 203/-4/-2/-3/0/0/-2/-1/-1/0/-1 TrueBlueSue - 174.5/0/0/0/-1.5/-1/-2/? LindaN – 218/-1/-3/-1/0/-3/0/-3/0/0/0/+1 Lauriegee – 215/-2/-6/0/+2/-3/? Mom of Many – 209/-1/0/0/? Mariecarmen – 198/-8/0/-2/-1/-2/0/+4/0/? Lisalee – 203/+2/-4/-2/-1/-3/-1/+1/-2/-3/0/-1 Harlito – 371/-1.5/-3/? April – 241/-5/0/0 Finallyonmyway – 200/-9/-3/? Katt – 282/-2/? TommyGirl – 246/-6/?

I am down 3lbs this last week and starting the 4th challenge at 180lbs.

Karey: I am getting breast augmentation this upcoming Friday. I do want a TT but I am going to wait until after my bandiversary. Things could change in another 6 months or atleast I can hope:) After being so heavy for so many years I'm not holding my breath! We could start the challenge tomorrow -Weights posted could be end of St. Patty's challenge and swing right into the 4th of July challenge! Anyone interested in keeping track this time around?

Yes Ma'am, Friday March 23rd is the day I will no longer be a pear! I'm excited in a nervous wreck kind of way:eek: July 4th sounds good to me! Have a wonderful time in Cancun!!!!!

Has anyone thought about what the next challenge should be? The next few holidays we have coming up are Easter (4/8 - kind of close), Memorial day (5/28) and then The 4th of July. Any ideas?

Hey there finallyonmyway! The start weight is the weight posted at the start of this challenge not the start of our band journey. Like my starting weight was 261 day of surgery not 199 but it was 199 at the start of this challenge. Was your starting weight 230 at the beginning of the challenge? 42lbs is fantastic, congratulations!!! Mim

I have an active perscription for Phentermine and I took it pre-fill and I still do take from time to time (usually around TOM). It will not harm the band but it is a good idea to tell your Dr and get his/her opinion.

Here are the results for this week's weigh in. We are down a total of 153lbs! St. Patty's day is just 2 days away! TamifromAL – 213/-5/-2/0/-5/-2/-1/-2/-3/-2/-3 BJean – 181/0/0/-1/-1/0/0/-1/-1/0/-1 Gonnabethin – 190/0/0/-1/-2/-1.5/0/0/0/-1.5/0 MimIN – 199/-2/-2/0/-4/-2/-5/0/0/0/-1 Sandranoelle – 275/-4/+2/0/-6/-3/+4/-3/-1/0 Kareyquilts – 203/-4/-2/-3/0/0/-2/-1/-1/0 TrueBlueSue - 174.5/0/0/0/-1.5/-1/-2 LindaN – 218/-1/-3/-1/0/-3/0/-3/0/0/0 Lauriegee – 215/-2/-6/0/+2/-3 Mom of Many – 209/-1/0/0 Mariecarmen – 198/-8/0/-2/-1/-2/0/+4/0 Lisalee – 203/+2/-4/-2/-1/-3/-1/+1/-2/-3/0 Harlito – 371/-1.5/-3 April – 241/-5/0/0 Finallyonmyway – 200/-9/-3 Katt – 282/-2 TommyGirl – 246/-6<O:p</O:p

reporting a loss of 1lb - finally not 0!

My surgeon said walking was good and encouraged but no strenuous exercise for the first 4 weeks and no concentrated ab work for 3 months (until the port healed and was snuggly attached to the abdominal wall). The day I hit 4 weeks I was at the gym and tried to do ab work and about died and thought I felt the port pull away. I think the wait on the ab's thing was said for a reason;)

:clap2: :clap2: :clap2: CONGRATULATIONS TAMI!!!! :clap2: :clap2: :clap2: You must be on cloud 9! I checked your obesity help page and took a look at the link you posted for sparkpeople.com - that site is awesome! I have been using self.com but I LOVE the food journal on sparkpeople, self only calculates the calories and I like the breakdown that sparkpeople gives. Lisalee: I know exactly what you are saying. To me it is so foreign that a guy would be flirting or 'checking me out' and when it happens I'm either oblivious or embarassed. And like Mariecarmen said, It's like starting all over again and not knowing how to deal with the 'unwanted' attention! It is great that we're not alone with these kind of feelings! This group is awesome! Tami: I too am overly critical of my body. I WONT wear anything that shows any kind of lumps or bumps, bathing suit? Hell no! I haven't even tried any on, lol. I am so weird about clothes, I don't want them tight but I don't want them too loose, can't show bumps but can't hide curves. It's painful! CANCUN! Lucky lady! You'll be basking in the sun and I'll be well... bound up, lol. I will not be taking my normal spring vacation this year:think Between training and surgery I have had a lot of time off and I can't afford to fall any further behind at work. I am trying to find decently priced tickets to Scotland for the summer to see some friends but that is like looking for a pinhead in a barrel of tacks.

I am so sorry!!! I forgot to post this week's numbers! I'm lost in a world on 1's and 0's and oblivious to anything else going on around me. TamifromAL – 213/-5/-2/0/-5/-2/-1/-2/-3/-2 BJean – 181/0/0/-1/-1/0/0/-1/-1/0 Gonnabethin – 190/0/0/-1/-2/-1.5/0/0/0/-1.5 MimIN – 199/-2/-2/0/-4/-2/-5/0/0/0 Sandranoelle – 275/-4/+2/0/-6/-3/+4/-3/-1 Kareyquilts – 203/-4/-2/-3/0/0/-2/-1/-1 TrueBlueSue - 174.5/0/0/0/-1.5/-1/-2 LindaN – 218/-1/-3/-1/0/-3/0/-3/0/0 Lauriegee – 215/-2/-6/0/+2/-3 Mom of Many – 209/-1/0/0 Mariecarmen – 198/-8/0/-2/-1/-2/0/+4/0 Lisalee – 203/+2/-4/-2/-1/-3/-1/+1/-2/-3 Harlito – 371/-1.5/-3 April – 241/-5/0/0 Finallyonmyway – 200/-9 Katt – 282/-2 TommyGirl – 246/-6

I wish I did know how to overcome the emotional challenges, I've had a difficult time adjusting. I still see ME when I look in the mirror and I do not see what everone else sees. A friend of mine who had by-pass a few years ago forewarned me about this and how hard it was for her to deal with and to accept the 'new' her; at that time I really didn't understand. I've always been bigger, even during my skinny period I was still around 200lbs. I have days where I look in the mirror and I am amazed at what I see and others where I am absolutly disgusted. Initially it really weirded me out when people would point out my weight loss, I felt like I was on display. It happens so frquently now that I'm ok when it's someone I know but when that random person in the hall stops me to ask, that still weirds me out. I am caught off guard when men pay attention, I'm use to being the fat girl that goes unnoticed. I don't know if I liked it better that way or if I had just become so accustom to it that it became comfortable. I had a wall to hide behind and now all of a sudden the wall is gone and I feel naked and exposed. I really don't have any ideas and I haven't found any literature but I would love to know how to 'cure' this!

I woke up crying and in pain screaming for drugs but within an hour I was fine, up and walking.

Beautiful pups! Of course I have to now share pics my boys - I am proud puppymama http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m253/mtedley/oscar.jpg http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m253/mtedley/abe.jpg

That is what I love and embrace about my faith, anything goes really as long as it harms no one. I know a woman that is definatly witch but she is as Christian as they come. I have seen her work majick and it is amazing. She is a seer, a healer and can come up with a remedy for any minor ailment yet if someone were to call her a witch it would upset her. Not all Wiccans are witches and not all witches are Wiccan.

Merry Meet! I have no idea how I missed this thread! Here I am browsing and I catch the title of the thread and think "Can it be!?!" I am Pagan and a kitchen witch of sorts. I was raised in a split religion home (Mom - orthodox Jew, Dad - Roman catholic, to this day I have no idea how that happened) and between the two extremes from the fanatical families it drove me away from any kind of 'organized' religion. I could not stand living my life in fear so off I went in my own direction. It is refreshing to stumble across this thread! Thank you! Mim

I think I am officially at a plateau - reporting 0 again.... I'm starting to panick a bit, I told my surgeon I would be at 175lbs by surgery day and well... unless there is a miracle it's not going to happen! I should probably focus more on how I feel rather than what the scale says but it's an obsession! Tommygirl: Congrats! 6lbs is awesome!!! I will add you to our list! Lisalee: The MCSE exams can be quite a pain in the arse! The first few are kind of easy for someone that has been in the industry for awhile but once moving in on security I'm lost! LOL. I know how it works but don't ask me the fundementals! Tami: I can hardly believe it has been 6 months already! It's like it was yesterday and then at the sametime I can't really remember life without the band. It is amazing how far we all have come in such a short period of time, it's awesome. St. Patty's is soooo close! Looks like Ms.Tami "The Inspirer" is in the lead :clap2: :clap2: :clap2: I hope everyone wants to keep these challenges going... I need them to keep motivated. It helps when I have someone to 'answer' to:)