She Smiles

Do you think if I get a second band, I will lose weight faster? My uncle's boyfriend's sister's husband's boss has 3 lapbands around his stomach and has lost 100 pounds in 4 weeks, do you think I should get another one?

My weight loss is slow right now and I keep gaining and losing the same few pounds over again (I always leave my sig at the lowest weight instead of adjusting it every other day ).... Anyway.. 161......161.......152......11 (this will be 100lbs lost total) (kgs for my reference) 73........73........69........4ish

Ok I've been thinking about posting this thread for a little while now and wasn't sure how it would be received, but here it is... A couple of weeks ago, my sister who lives up the street from me (well about 2kms up a BIG hill) called and asked if she could drop by and borrow some of my shoes to wear to a wedding. I told her I was going out for a run in the next 5 minutes and would be gone for close to an hour. Oh, well you can put them in a back pack and run to my place and leave them for me, cos I'm not home and was going to come pick them up in about half an hour, she said. Geez I said to her jokingly, I'm not a pack horse, I'm an athlete (this part was said with sarcasm). She laughed, I laughed and she came around to get them some other time (cos running with an unbalanced back pack might flare up my back pain and I didn't want to even risk it, I explained to her). But I've been thinking about that since. A year ago I weighed around 250 pounds and was completely sedentary. Today, I am down to 159 pounds and I run 6 or more kms 4-5 days a week and participate in organised fun runs at least monthly (10kms is my best effort yet - I'm planning on a half marathon in May 2008). I love running. I love the way it makes me feel both physcially and psychologically and the way it makes my body look. I love how it feels when I'm doing it and I love how I feel afterwards. I've found a passion in it. When I run now, I feel like an athlete (I probably don't look like one though lol). A year ago, I could have never in a million years guessed that I would be tying up my laces on my runners most days to run until the sweat poured off me in an attempt to better my PB time (My best over my local 6.25 km run so far it 36ish minutes - of course I'm slower over a longer distance per km). So I just wanted to post this thread to have a place for us to be proud of our fitness journeys and acheivements. And I'll just get in now and say by no means am I trying to make others feel bad because they choose not to exercise - that is your choice and you are on your own journey - work your band in what ever way does it for you. I just want a place for those of us that doexercise, and that love it as well, to have a place to come and share (not boast - its not that - we ALL can be proud of ourselves without it being bragging I think!) our acheivements, both great and small, cos I know there are a bunch of others out there who are passionate about their own fitness too. So, do you feel like an athlete? (athlete (noun) - a person who is good at sport, especially running, jumping etc - a person trained or gifted in exercises or contests involving physical agility, stamina, or strength; a participant in a sport, exercise, or game requiring physical skill. from dictionary.com) - "good and gifted" are open to YOUR interpretation :cool:

Jacqui I find that offensive - its MUCH too blue :heh:

Money talks. I bet they work on commissions and by telling the truth they probably think that you are ruining their chances at an extra few bucks. Keep on with the good fight Wasa!

Geez Dawn I don't know whats worse - freezing cold or boiling hot. If only we had perfect running weather all year round! Good luck in the lead up to your half marathon! I plan on attempting one in the first half of '08. Do you mind me asking how long you have been training for and what training do you do? I need to know where to start past running my 5-10km runs to get up to speed (pardon the pun!) enough to even think about registering for one.

How the heck does that work, we're both further south than you!! :cry

<p>I have a hanging stomach which I think in 14 more pounds (my goal) is going to be sagging significantly. My arms are ok, my bum a bit saggy and my boobs are hanging more than I would like. But its my tummy that bothers me the most. I know I'd be wearing at least a size smaller on the bottom if I had it removed via a tummy tuck (which I am SERIOUSLY considering mid to late next year depending on my financial situation and further weigh loss).</p>

And Wasa, we need you too. I hate to think that any more of the oldies will just up and leave because of the BS (cos there have been some - including a couple of Aussie ones who used to be around A LOT). I don't post much, but I've been around long enough to know that its you guys that have helped me with my progress and motivation over the last year (its my bandiversary in 2 days!! YAY!).

Gosh I'm so offended!!

It counts for a lot as far as I am concerned! You've had such fantastic results so far and you kick butt with your exercise too!!!

Jacqui its about 34 here today, and I am waiting for dusk to hit to see if it cools down before I try to get out for a run....otherwise I'm making up for it at the gym tomorrow. Thats gonna hurt! haha

Thanks for replying guys! Well today I ran a 5km fun run and got a personal best of 28 minutes 54 seconds. I am SO stoked to have run a better than 6 minute average km. It was incredibly hot and I thought that might impede my efforts but apparently it didn't!

Wow Julie, you just look fantastic. It already looks worth all the pain and discomfort to me!!

Both my parents and I have a lap band. My sister and brother lucked out and didn't get the fat genes somehow :cry My Dad has had his 2 years in January 08 (he has gone from 125kg to about 92ish I think -my Dad has atrial fibulation and a blot clotting disease (non obesity related illnesses) though and can't do any physical exertion so hasn't exercised at all). I've had mine a year on 22nd November this year (115kg down to 73ish right now). My Mum has had hers since Feb or March this year (97kg down to about 80 so far - Mum is short thats how she qualified at that weight, and she goes to the gym and does a light work out 4 days a week). Seeing Dads success convinced me to get mine and for Mum seeing both of our sucesses convinced her. I think Mum was the most unsure about it she was kind of like is it worth it, I'm almost 60 years old? Once Dad and I had decided to do it, we wanted it done yesterday. We all love our bands and the life it has given back to us now though. I've only told my immediate family, husband and 3 close friends. The rest of my friends have no idea and think I am just eating less because I am into fitness now (I'm a keen runner, never would have guessed I would be 40+ kilos ago!). If you can hide away for about a couple of weeks after your surgery while you are healing (to be honest I NEEDED the 2 whole weeks after to be at home, I have a low pain threshold and am a wuss) and on the liquid diet, there really isn't any reason in my opinion why you should have to tell anyone. Telling people you are watching what you eat and eating less, isn't a lie to me....cos thats what we got the band to help us with! My suggestion is to go see the surgeon and ask all the questions you have, and then make a decision, you can't make a decision yet with out all the information he will provide you. I knew once I spoke to my family's surgeon that he was who I wanted cutting me open on the operating table (that was the thing I was most worried about having never been in hospital before) and that I could live with the changes having a band would mean in mine and my husband's lives. Your surgeon really is the one who should be able to help you decide if its going to be something that can work for you or not. Feel free to ask more questions here though!! I'm happy to help if I can

Kim, don't be nervous if its your age worrying you - both my parents have bands and are 59 and almost 60. They both wish they had of done it years ago and love their bands, they feel YEARS younger and my Dads severe sleep aponea has disappeared! Good luck with your appointment next week.

Hi Mrs M. Things have been kinda slow on this thread lately, but congrats on your decision to be banded! Susie I PMed you, hope you go it

ketchup is god.

No worries happy to help (I'm a self confessed blog addict haha)

blog is an abbreviation of the term weblog. A lot of people use them as a online personal journalling type thing. Chickie had the url of hers in her signature up until a few days ago. You might want to look it up on wikipedia.org for more info....

Well I'm sure that I speak for the others when I say we think you're pretty great too! And I understand why you took it all down, it just makes me sad that people are going to so much effort to be so unsupportive....I mean isn't that what we are all here for, after all?

You'd want to make sure that they're not NSAIDS.... :heh: But if they are, I'd like some too. Please.

I noticed that you have taken your stats off Chickie..... I think its kinda sucky that you felt that you had to I'm sorry some people don't appreciate you on this board the way all of us on this thread do.

Julie will you post the befores you take for us? How exciting that its next week!! That has come up so quickly!

Good luck Diane!