lisalee

Diane...glad you're here! We weigh in on Mondays. Jump right in and be losers with us!

No weight loss for me this week. Sometimes that happens but I really need to refocus what I'm putting in my body. Mostly crap I'm afraid. Of course that doesn't leave room for the healthy stuff I don't want to lose this momentum!

Denise822...I Love to run in the rain! It gets so hot here in Texas anything is a refreshing break. I see you had your band done in Coos Bay...I was just up in Reedsport/Winchester Bay visiting family in May. I could run there forever. The weather and scenery is beautiful! I ran along the Bay then up to the lighthouse one day....about 5 miles. It was absolutely delightful!

Vanessav....I still feel lost in the regular clothes department....I don't really know what size to head for. I know I wear a size 14 now but it's still weird to try to find the right size. I don't even know what's cute anymore. I've been looking at "fat cruise-wear" for so long...my fashion sense outside of spandex and knit clothing is lost. Mariecarmen....I know what you mean by "what now?" I'm not actually at my goal weight but I now weigh what I did at 21 (I'm 37) and don't feel as thin as I did then. Unfortunately, things haven't sprung back like they looked at 21 either. Jachut...I want the winter fruit recipe....sounds delicious! Efficka...I too eat out of loneliness....and boredom. OK, now that I am thinner...where are all the cute boys? BTW....how does one address the band issue w/a guy? At what point do you tell them? I have a friend who noticed my weight chart that I post in my office and asked me about it. He knows I have lost a lot of weight and even seen my tummy but seems to have no clue that I have had surgery. To share or not to share? :nervous It's different than telling a co-worker or family.

Karey...I weigh 173 today down from 175 last week. It's funny...some weeks I stay in one place forever...this last few weeks I've been dropping weight consistently. Even though I haven't been running a lot in the 90 degree weather I am busy, busy, busy. I am so much more active I have to make myself go to bed at night. Also, I had tremendous restriction around my TOM. I thought I was going to have to start drinking protein shakes again. BJean...I think you're right. Too much restriction is not a good thing. Real food was not band friendly...I actually started noticing a lot more hair in my brush and realized it was probably d/t not being able to eat properly. Chocolate and cookies seem to be the only thing that are digestible when I am so tight. Oh, the wonderful adventures of lap-band land! There's a new experience around every corner (or pound!)

Thanks for the welcome Boo! I can really relate to so many things here. Bubble...I have a Bowflex...pre-band gift from my Dad to get me motivated to work out. It really is more gentle than the machines in the gym and less likely to cause injury. Did yours come with a video? I like to write down the weights I am comfortable using so I can measure where I am coming along in my progress. I think the hardest thing about using it is putting it together. Enjoy!

Silly me....I meant July 9th! Katt, welcome back on board! I look actually look forward to posting my weight on here weekly, whether I have lost or not. It is good discipline. I also chart my weight on a graph and post it on a bulletin board in my office....just a little visual motivation. Has anyone gotten confused about their weight and forgotten that they actually weigh less than they thought they did (for a moment?) I find myself nearing the 160s and keep thinking I'm still in the 180s. Of course it dawns on me immediately and I have to straighten my thinking. I made a mistake the other day at work. I used to jokingly say,"I'm bigger than you, you better listen to me (or do what I say, or be nice, etc.") Well I was kidding around with a co-worker and started to say,"because I'm bigger....." then stopped. She turned around and looked at me funny so I finished the sentence "...than you." She said, "No. You are not bigger than me Lisa." I felt so awkward! It's something I have always said so it came out without thinking. It's always been true! Being a big girl when I was getting behind at work I would say, "Gosh, I'm all behind like a fat lady." I said that once the other day and then immediately felt terrible for saying it! What a funny role reversal. Time to start thinking like a slender person I guess. It's hard to wrap my head around that

OK, I just realized my ticker and my normal BMI goals are different. Let me clarify...initially I had a goal of 138....which I still may do, but my current goal is to be at 150...which would put me at a BMI of 24.9. Either way I am healthier!

Ohhhhhh I love this thread! I am 24 pounds from a "normal" BMI and can identify with so many of the issues addressed here! It is so good to see that I am amongst others experiencing these. I hope y'all will let me jump in and join you guys! Lisa

Labor Day sounds great! It will also be one+ year out for us. I can't believe it has been that long. Kareyquilts thanks for agreeing to keep track. I'm afraid I'm not online often enough or perhaps responsible enough? How about 15 pounds by then? That's roughly 2 pounds/week. Start me at 175 as of Monday June 9th. Thanks!

Whew! I'm done painting. What a job. Now if I could just get the tape off without pulling the paint up too. Anyone ever dealt with this? I think it's just too humid outside yet. Down to 175 this morning. Got quite a workout going up and down the ladder, bending over to pick stuff up and painting ceilings too. Maybe that helped. So I guess this is the end of our 4th of July challenge?

Welcome Nile, you look great! Lifelongband, that is fantastic! What a huge success and accomplishment. Your knees, heart, back and other body parts are grateful (at least that's what I say about my heart :mad:) Keep up the good work. Mimin, I am excited for your boyfriend...and you! I actually managed an average piece of pizza yesterday...and sneaked in a couple of pieces of pepperoni of the top of another one. Yes, it's possible. I don't want anymore for a long while though. That one was eaten over about 20+ minutes. So, there is still hope. BTW, I didn't eat for the rest of the day, just not hungry Kareyquilts...congrats on the possible son-in-law! I'm sure you are thrilled. I'm working up the motivation to paint a couple of rooms in my house this weekend. A year ago, painting a room exhausted me and left my calves and arms sore. Priming a room last week was no problem. What a delight! At least I'll get some exercise indoors while it is flooding outside (in Texas.) Have a good weekend y'all! :rain:

I was on a low carb diet. Was told not to eat anything white. No sugar, no candy, cookies, potatoes, rice, bread, etc. It helps to decrease the size of the liver thus improving visibility in the abdominal cavity.

BJean....one pound lost is great! That's what I lost. We all have our weird metabolisms...and discipline. I think mine would slide off a little easier if I was more disciplined about certain foods and more consistent with the exercise. Frankly, I want to eat healthier choices but also don't want to be deprived. I love good food. Period. The exercise comes in spurts...one week I run 5 miles in one night. Tonight I struggled to run 2 after dark in 80degree weather. It is so darned hot here. But I stay busy. As long as I come back to the exercise regularily I don't sweat it (no pun intended) too much. There are some folks here that I admire so much. They are exercise fiends and are much more careful than I am about what they eat. I have learned (am learning?) to live w/my own level of weight loss. So, be proud of that one pound and realize you may never gain it back again!

Gonnabethin...sounds about right! I figured out average weight loss since surgery and I am just a little over 1.5 pounds per week. Keep up the good work! I am weighing in at 177 this morning....now at a BMI of 29.5. Some calculators make that "just" overweight...not obese...or morbidly obese where I started. Anyway, I am satisfied with the loss.....slow but steady.

Yooper....my doctor tells me that you can't always feel erosion. Erosion is when the band rubs into the stomach...it may or may not end up going all the way through the wall. If it did you could have serious complications such as stomach acid spilling into your abdominal cavity. Erosion is irritation of the stomach wall, sometimes causing breakdown of the tissue. It can (according to my doctor) only be visualized on the barium swallow. Another thing that can happen is having your band slip. This is a little like having a tucked in shirt be pulled out a little. What it does is cause undue tension on the stomach, causing obstruction and sometimes pain. Again, it is best seen under barium. I think the important thing to remember is that you cannot always "feel" when there is something wrong w/ your band. They did tell me that chronic heartburn or reflux is a dangerous sign. I have seen people in the "fill office" that had no indicator or symptoms of problems but had to have their band unfilled completely to see if the problems resolve. Good reasons to keep in touch w/your doctor...mine says at least every 6 months to make sure everything is O.K. Good luck!

Oooops...make that September 2008....have 9 months gone by that fast already?!!!

Patiencemom3....your weight loss sounds just right! You must be tall? I was a size 24 at 5'5" and am now a size 14. I too get frantic when the scale sits in one place for more than a couple of weeks but must remind myself "this is a two year weight loss program." Then, eventually a couple of pounds come off and I breathe a sigh of relief. It's gradual but consistent. Just imagine where we will be in September of 2009! MimIn, Dallasmist...thank you for the advice! I really didn't know who or how to ask anyone!

Dallasmist...that is awesome! You must feel terrific! I will consider a tummy tuck in a couple of years....probably will get the girls lifted too. Haven't done any further research though. I would like to know....if I have a tattoo on one of the girls....a fairly big one...should I have it removed before or after the surgery? I don't think I can (or want) to keep it...just not sure how much would get cut off, etc. Does anyone out there know?

Welcome Diggity! I had surgery by Dr. Spivak September of last year and wouldn't change a thing! It has been an amazing process in so many ways. Congratulations and good luck. P.S. Check out the Spivak Patients thread.....lotsa useful information there!

Mimin, you are my hero! To be in a size eight is my ultimate goal! I've gained a lot of muscle in exchange for the fat so the numbers aren't as sacred as they used to be. Of course I would like to be 138 pounds. I think I would be even happier being a muscular size eight. Boy, would that look hot! Not sure where that falls on the scale but it is now a very real possibility. I cleaned out the closet again today...got rid of several bags of clothes. Came across a pair of size 24 Levi's that I am keeping for the memories. WOW. They now look huge to me! I can now get both legs into one side and pull them up almost to the waist. That was so cool. For now I am happy in a size 14 but Mimin you have inspired me. Way to go!!!

Karey, that is incredible! I can't imagine, being afraid of heights myself. Yikes! Weighing in at 178 this morning. Whew. Down 2 pounds.

Hi all, I went out of town for a week (up to the Oregon coast.) Exercised my butt off cycling, walking, and running. The temperature ranged from 50-70 degrees. Awesome weather. Ate a lot of fresh fruit and seafood. No weight loss for this week or last but I feel great and am in better shape than I've been in years. So I'm still at 180 pounds. Now back in the opressive Texas heat....90's. Guess it's time to join a gym . Looks like everyone is doing a great job. There are so many inspiring stories here. Way to go everyone!

Hi all, down one pound to 180 this week. Slowly but surely. The clothes keep getting looser, weird huh? Ambrosiap....welcome! This is a wonderful group to join. I admit I haven't been on here a lot lately but all these folks are wonderful...even if you just drop in from time to time. I have found that the only way to success is to increase my activity. Today that means mowing the yard, front and back and laying a brick pathway around my house. A couple of days ago it was pulling weeds for several hours. Sometimes it's walking or running. It's getting more and more difficult as the temperature rises down here in Texas but rain or shine I do something. Friday I went out and exercised for 40 minutes in a cool drizzle. It just has to be done. I admit that may seem like a lot of work, especially if you're unaccustomed to it. A lot of folks question why I should have to work out if I had surgery...wouldn't it just take care of itself. Unfortunately for me, no. Tami said a few months ago, and I concur that losing 30 or more pounds now enables her to exercise just a little more. It's exciting to see what can happen with more activity. I now crave physical activity and find that when I am not being as active as I can I get in an emotional funk and feel terrible. The other thing to remember is that we are all different. While we have some true champions on this site, there are quite a few slower losers too. The only person you have to compete with is yourself, and it can be done! Well, I got on a soap box and now I'll get off :confused: We're glad to have you here! BTW, Mim, you are a Rock Star!

Quick note here for my weigh in...down 1 pound to 181. Don't know how I did it; no exercise, carnival food and a night out w/the girls=liquid calories. But I did get a phone number and a few *smiles* from some cute guys! Must get back in the groove...