Ladybandito

Yes, Nicole.. Keep us posted on how it goes; I'm sure you'll do fine. Watch it with the water/food combination though... Could make you vomit and you don't want that! Nicki, I really like your one day "off" thing. I am thinking about getting a fill sooner if possible, just so dang afraid of being too tight. Right now I can eat just about anything except dry chicken if I take small enough bites, go slow, and chew. :-)

Hi Nicki, Meredith, CrissyLu and Nicole! Nicki, I am so glad you post regularly and I'm sorry I'm so spotty at it! Sounds like we're all having a few challenges which is to be expected after 8 months in the game, don't you think?! We're still all here and checking in, so we're in it for the long haul and not just the short term fix like so many "diets" in the past. To that end, Nicole, I differ from Nicki and think if you want a little break from trying so hard you should allow yourself that break -- for a set amount of time -- say the weekend or one week or the month of September. No exercise, moderate calorie counting, a splurge (ice cream?) or the like. The way I see it, the band is for life and so it has to be "doable" and not like a punishing diet. The losses may come slower, but they will still come if you limit your time "off." At least you won't be able to do a lot of damage in a short period of time, because you will still have to stick with what the band allows, right? We do need to keep in mind, though, that the majority of band loss comes within the first 2 years! Hubby/loved one issues were bound to come up sooner or later in this thread! I agree with Meredith that the hubster may be feeling a little threatened by his wife's weight loss! Unfortunately fear can come across as angry or non-supportive instead of the need for reassurance that it sometimes is. Maybe some extra special attention could be directed his way? We're all getting noticed and our efforts applauded, maybe he feels a little left out. It's really very common. I don't have another fill scheduled until the end of this month, but I'm thinking of postponing it until the end of October because my husband and I are going on vacation beginning of Oct and I don't want to have any overfill issues while we are out of state. But I really think I could use a little fill as my hunger pops up every couple hours or so, quicker than before. I will just have to work with that best I can for the next two months. Wow, that looks like a long time when you see it in print! I've been eating well, walking regularly, and feel good. Although..... I had two ice creams today (a Klondike AND a Ben & Jerry's Brownie Bar!!???!!) but I never, ever do that (even prior to the band) so hey, I done did it and don't plan to again any time soon, so what the heck. It's OK! Moving on to tomorrow... Speaking of which, time to hit the hay. Rambled a bit here, but thinking of all of you and sending rousing cheers and support your way! Xx

T-bone steak (I share with hubby, I get the filet part) with vanilla-fig balsamic reduction and bleu cheese crumbles (for him) and Italian green beans and a small green salad. I still like to cook!

Soylabean, if you haven't already, you will get below your 235 level. I really believe some of us have "mental blocks" that make it more difficult to get past some certain weights that have significance to us in some way or another. It's usually an area where we will give up or give in to eating and gaining because we get frustrated. The band really heps prevent the massive regain that sabotages the weight loss. Two of my "blocks" historically were at 192 and 180 ... I'm not sure why but I know it to be true for me. I practiced "visualization" and "seeing" myself weigh less on the scale. No change in my fairly good eating habits or exercise, just sticking with it and anticipating the lower weight. If you keep with it, don't stress, it will come. I am currently at 172, and "seeing" myself at 160!

And worth every penny!

I'm 5'6.5 and currently 172 lbs, started at 226 pre-op January of this year. I love my band and what it has done for me, I may be slow-losing but it it is not Up and Down, which has been the case for me for the last 20 years. I am not sure yet what my goal weight will be... Just taking it as it comes, probably 145 would be perfect. My sleep apnea has resolved and I feel and look so much better. Just wish I would've taken on the band earlier in my adulthood, could have saved precious time wasted on struggling with diets that just made me feel like a failure in the weight-loss department. Now I feel like I am armed and ready!

BTW, I have 44 posts and still registered user. Maybe it's because I usually post via iPad app?

I wondered too! Thanks for the question, and the explanation.

Alcohol can certainly derail the losses ... Depending on whet drinks you are having. SkinnyGirl margaritas are really good, low cal, low carb and premixed .. And believe there are some other flavors by SinnyGirl too. My rule is 1 drink, 2 full glasses of water, another drink, 2 more glasses of water. It would probably be better to forgo the alcohol altogether, but hey, it's nice sometimes, As for trying on clothes, I'm still taking them home to try .. But that's getting a lot trickier now!:-)

I was banded in January of this year and the only one who knew was my husband. A few months ago I told one very good friend, and to date that's it. Like someone else on here said, you can't un-tell someone so it's easier to share as you see fit over time. I had thought that everyone would be able to tell by my eating habits, but you know... No one really pays as much attention as we think they do! :-)

Yay for you, Westielove!!! And it only gets better!

Savannah, I remember that 202 on the scale! It gets really motivating when you get to onederland which will be any day now for you. This week I'm at 170 (have stepped up the exercise this month) and I am over the moon! Psychologically I have a set-point in my head that makes breaking below 170 a challenge for me (I also had it at 190, but did it eventually after a rather long plateau so I know I will do this too!) Not sure what it is about those weights that makes me self-sabotage but I am finding it so much easier with the band to get back on track quickly instead of throwing in the towel. It is the reason I got the band in the first place ... I lost the same 30 pounds over and over before. My goal is around 130-145 so I'm thrilled with the progress so far. Congrats to our new-job holders and to everyone for their victories both scale and non-scale. I love reading ALL of your posts!

I was banded on 1/18/2012 and since then have lost 46 pounds.

Happy Anniversary! (Mine was the 18th) We are all doing SO GREAT! I mean everyone is still checking in and we're all progressing ... I think it's the greatest thing ever on my journey to see all of your check-ins and news! I've been losing again too, yay, but I don't think it's so much from my fills as it is from me just really, really watching my calories the past few weeks. I am drinking tons of Water also (my skin actually looks better because of it) and really stepped up on my walking. I'm still in 14-16 pants, but yesterday I saw my collar-bones! I haven't seen them in 20 years and that is a big, big whoo-hoo from me!! My goal this month is to concentrate on some sit-ups or some type of waist exercise because that is my slowest area to lose... Waist and stomach. I do have a question for those of you who have more fill in your band than me, which I guess is about all of you... I still have (rare) occasions when things get stuck or are very slow going down, but I can still eat a substantial amount of food in one sitting. I would like to be full on less, but I'm afraid if the band were tighter, I would really be stuck. For those of you who are at the "sweet spot," and get full on say 1/4 cup of food, are you still eating solids OK, and how did you know to keep going tighter? I can still eat Pasta and bread (I restrict myself) and really quite a lot in quantity of softer foods. I think I'm just over 3 cc's in a 10 cc band, but as long as I'm losing something and having morning restriction (which I do) the doc thinks that's enough. I am so proud of all of you ... We should add up all of our pounds lost ... It's amazing! I'm now at 40 pounds down since operation day. Luvin' it. Keep up the good work all! My main goal this month is structured exercise at least 3x per week. LadyB

Sounds like everyone is doing well as usual! Erica, that's a bummer that somebody blabbed at work... I haven't told anyone except a relative at my workplace either, but I have a feeling some may know because no one ever asks me about my current eating habits and they always used to on every diet (many!) that I've been on. That's one of the reasons I didn't tell people, because I can't stand it when people ask for updates (how much have you lost? How much do plan to lose? Etc). It could be that they are just not that interested anymore, but either way, I've decided that I won't make it an issue anymore. Glad you're taking the "super-model" approach! Kymie, thanks for the info link ... And Amica, for the recipe. Crissylu and JustDoIt, you guys are my role models and so inspirational! Nicole, congrats to you on some revved up positive attitude, you'll do great, and Meredith, great NSV. Last time I posted I was having irritation when I swallowed food. I guess I was overreacting, because it went away after a couple of days eating soft foods and has been OK since. I went for my fill on Wednesday and even though I've only lost 4 pounds in the 2 months since my last fill, the doc gave me a .2 cc fill and said I was doing quite well, slow and steady. He asked how long did I feel "something" after the last fill and I told him for about a month and he said I was probably getting very close to where I needed to be, and that very small amounts make a big difference at this stage. Anyway, I totally forgot to ask how much I have in my band at this point!! I think it's like 3.5 or something. My goal to the end of the month is to crank up the water, get in more exercise, eat only "healthy" choices as well as small portions, and to rev up this weight loss! Cheers to all of you, love reading your posts.

Personally, I changed my haircolor again!

Congratulations, well done!!! And so inspirational too.

Lori, will keep you in my prayers ... And Ready, you too. Thank you both for sharing your stories here because we all learn something from them. Lori, I had some similar challenges with parents and family, I think many of us who are/have been overweight have a tendency to forget our "selves" now and then while caring for others. In one of my classes, it is mandatory to recall at the end of the day at least 1 thing done just for me. It can be a simple thing (took 30 mins of alone time), but there must be something. I think it reaffirms that we, too, are important! Prayers and lots of love sent your way. You'll love the band... I put mine off for far too long!

Kymie, I do on the IPad app (have posts not show or disappear). The phone, which I've been using lately, is pretty good it seems.

That's great, Dee. It will be here in no time!

I was banded in January. I had pizza tonight with my family. Two pieces, mostly just the toppings and about 2 inches of the crust. Sometimes depending on the pizza place, the crust is out of the question because it's just too hard to go down. Just to let you know I used to eat 3/4 large pizza no problem, and tonight I'm very full on just the two toppings and a bit of crust. Love, love my band.

Let me know what they say about yours, Meredith, and I will keep you posted too.

Meredith, I've waited so long since my last fill due to rescheduling at my surgeon's office. They changed the date twice and it was going to fall at a time I was to be out of town, so I just made it for mid-month I think I haven't updated my last fill, which was .5 cc -- I will ask when I get to appt next week. I doubt I will get much of a fill then, either, since today I am experiencing a kind of "raw" feeling near my band when I eat solids. Not sure what that means, and I'm kind of bummed since I was looking forward to a fill until right now. Maybe I irritated the band? I'm going to try and take it easy until next week and hopefully it goes away. I tried to search the site looking for anyone with similar feeling, but didn't see any. I may start a new thread tomorrow myself. It's an irritated, rough, raw feeling when food goes down. Not pain, exactly. Geez, I hope this is a minor thing! I know for sure I am not overfilled! Sorry to ramble.... Long post, but anyone else feel like this sometimes?

Rock 'em at the reunion, Meredith!